Basiliximab
Basiliximab, sold under the brand name Simulect, is a monoclonal antibody used to prevent rejection in kidney transplants. It is a chimeric mouse-human monoclonal antibody to the α chain of the IL-2 receptor of T cells. It is used in combination with other medicines used to prevent organ rejection.
The most common side effects include constipation, urinary tract infections, pain, nausea, peripheral oedema, hypertension, anemia, headache, hyperkalaemia, hypercholesterolaemia, surgical wound complication, weight increase, increased serum creatinine, hypophosphataemia, diarrhea and upper respiratory tract infection.
Basiliximab was approved for medical use in the United States and in the European Union in 1998.
Medical uses
Basiliximab is indicated for the prophylaxis of acute organ rejection in de-novo allogeneic renal transplantation. It is to be used concomitantly with ciclosporin for microemulsion- and corticosteroid-based immunosuppression, in people with panel reactive antibodies less than 80%, or in a triple maintenance immunosuppressive regimen containing ciclosporin for microemulsion, corticosteroids and either azathioprine or mycophenolate mofetil.Basiliximab is an immunosuppressant agent used to prevent immediate transplant rejection in people who are receiving kidney transplants, in combination with other agents. It has been reported that some cases of lichen planus have been successfully treated with basiliximab as an alternative therapy to cyclosporin. No short-term side effects have been reported.